Another Treat From Berlin…

Berlin, Germany—I was delighted to be in Berlin for the 20th Anniversary of the collapse of the infamous Wall and Communism. Getting to the celebration involved taking the subway because of street closures and a lack of parking facilities.

My dear friend Andrea was kind enough to show me around Berlin. Her brother Klaus is a history buff who met us later giving me the rundown on the historical sites.

All the video I captured in Germany and Switzerland was on the Flip HD camera.

Enjoy the highlights of the subway ride.

Is Confession Really Good For the Soul?

Phoenix, AZ—It was 21 years ago when an elderly man was robbed and murdered by a drug addicted neighbor. The case went cold and unsolvable.

The killer fled to California, got clean, sober and employed. Kenneth Jackson joined the world of the hard working and taxpaying folks. He was finally living the American dream. I think every religion allows sinners salvation and redemption without surrendering to earthly authority.

Jackson could not live with his deeds and more than two decades later he returned to Phoenix and gave a full confession of First Degree Murder to police. His shocking confession included unpublished facts and that has created a seemingly air-tight noose around Jackson’s neck.

The minimum amount of time Jackson can get will be 25 years with no parole. That will be served in one of Arizona’s miserable prisons. Jackson deserves man’s punishment but under the circumstances taxpayers will now have to support and keep Jackson secure for perhaps more time than he has left on earth.

Most killers never face the music since most murders remain unsolved. American prisons are the ultimate Dens of Inequity. Jackson will soon realize his insane mistake but by then he will be beyond hope or help. Mitigation will be strong in this case but Arizona Justice will be unable to lessen the damage to an otherwise redeemed life. Jackson should have exclusively made his confession with his minister. Perhaps Jackson could have paid for his crimes some other way?

Chicago Judge Steals Christmas From A Little Girl!

Chicago, IL—This is one of those stories you just can’t make up. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Edward Jordan has ordered Christmas taken away from a three year-old girl!

Despite our Constitution’s First Amendment Judge Jordan has stepped into a religious dispute between parents and ordered the Catholic father not to expose the child to any non-Jewish religious activities.

The child’s mother Rebecca Reyes an apparent devout Jew, petitioned for and won the restraining order From Judge Jordan. That order in effect steals Christmas from her daughter.

The dispute between Rebecca and Joseph Reyes is not really a trivial issue. Both parents are divided on their daughter’s religious education. Who should mediate this case? No American court has jurisdiction over religion. Is there an acceptable compromise when both the Jewish and Catholic religions claim their supremacy?

Judge Jordan is playing the Part of Dr. Suess’ Grinch and the little Reyes girl is none other than Cindy Lou Who from Whoville in this sad but true story where life imitates art.

Amazingly WBBM-TV’s Mike Puccinelli did this story and deliberately declined to identify the judge that restrained Christmas with an official court edict. To say that redaction was lame is an understatement. Since when does any journalist protect a public official from their undisputed actions under color of law?

I called Puccinelli who told me that editorial decision came from station management.

Judge Jordan is a former President of the Decalogue Society, which is the Jewish Bar Association in Chicago. Perhaps Jordan’s own faith may have influenced his decision that has now established Jewish religious superiority within Cook County, Illinois.

Joel Brodsky, himself a Jew and his law partner, Reem Odeah, a Palestinian-American lawyer represent the Catholic father, Joseph Reyes. He declined to discuss Judge Jordan or his motives. Brodsky wasted no time he has already filed an appeal of Judge Jordan’s order.


Brodsky and Odeh

I doubt that the appeal will be heard before Christmas in this seemingly landmark case and that’s too bad. I’m taking sides on this case and that is the side of our Constitution and its promise not to establish religion.

Here is a link to Mike Puccinelli’s story on WBBM-TV.

Associated Press Reports On Secret Illinois Prisoners Releases.

Chicago, IL—In this city rich with draconian and unconstitutional gun laws the public is at more risk of deadly criminal attack and monetary loss than ever.

The newly appointed Democratic governor, Pat Quinn has secretly opened the floodgates releasing career criminals back on the streets.

The move is said to cut costs but all of our politicians know that experience says this move will end up costing hundreds of millions more when the criminals reoffend. It will cost lives as insurances companies are bankrupted paying out claims related to crime.

Of course that will keep the courts, prosecutors and public defenders very busy. This will cause state and local government’s treasuries to hemorrhage.

Of course by creating a crime crisis this government will take advantage and eliminate freedom in the same way the Nazis did when somebody set fire to the German Reichstag. That act ultimately gave Adolph Hitler absolute power and the legal authority to kill millions. Hitler never let a good crisis go to waste.

One thing for sure taxpaying residents of Illinois better take gun rights, gun training and self-defense seriously or face the expected results. Get your Illinois Firearm Owner’s Identification card and stop worrying about the bogus laws that attempt to ban you from carrying them.

If you must use your weapon for self-defense do not talk to police under any circumstance without a lawyer at your side. You are not required by law to stay at the scene or report the shooting to police. Leave the area for your own safety and save your story for a courtroom should you be arrested.

Read more about the secret prisoner releases here.

"Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun."

Mao Zedong made this famous quote in a 1938 publication. This was part of a larger statement that discussed public gun ownership as a hindrance to the world’s Communist Revolutions.

One thing for sure Communist and Socialist governments all love to use their guns liberally on their own citizens. Everywhere there has ever been a Communist or Socialist flag waiving there’s been a holocaust.

For some reason world history only seems to recognize the Nazi Holocaust and nearly ignores the hundreds of millions murdered in places like China, Cambodia, Cuba, Russia, East Germany, Romania and every Eastern European country. Communists uniformly slaughter civilians for political or trivial reasons.

Socialism, National Socialism, and Communism all share the same concepts of wealth redistribution, the need for absolute power within the government and the violent elimination of those citizens that dare demand freedom.

The Barack Obama Administration is rampant with proud Marxists. The other administration members are either too shy to admit their leanings other than to be openly sympathetic to Communist teachings.

Obama himself must be judged by his continuing Leftist actions. Obama’s obvious concerted effort is to collapse our economy and destroy our currency to weaken America for the Communist Revolution that he’s started.

The photograph at the top is from a recent mass execution of counter-revolutionaries and some who’s defied Communist tax laws. If Americans can’t recognize the danger and take immediate prophylactic action it may well be you or someone you love murdered by the government. We can’t allow Barack Obama or any politician to destroy our freedoms and way of life.

Chicago’s Parking Meter Extortion Can Be stopped!

Chicago, IL—The brand new parking meter kiosks are everywhere now. They accept cash and credit cards. Your failure to feed these monsters will get you in a world of hurt. It’s pure and simple extortion. Chicago’s weather has not been agreeable with these machines. They have been freezing over.

I have an idea! Perhaps we can help these devices with simple spray bottles. That will melt the ice for sure. Insert the nozzles into any and all openings and simply spray the ice away! I’m sure this will be helpful to the sensitive electronics inside!

Do this for your city!

$340 Million Phoenix Court Building Deserves Serious Scrutiny

Phoenix, AZ—Are some judges, politicians, lawyers and vendors involved in criminal conspiracies to loot taxpayers?

Maricopa County’s presiding judge, Barbara Rodriguez Mundell has refused to turn over e-mails and other records. She has taken the unheard of step by seeking and getting a temporary court order preventing a search warrant from being served on her home and judicial chambers.

Two members of the County Board Mary Rose Wilcox and Don Stapley along with Judge Gary Donahue are under indictment. It looks like there are going to be more indictments on the way.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and County Prosecutor Andrew Thomas have pulled out all the stops in learning what’s been going on with the deal making and glad-handing surrounding the over-priced court project.

It is inconceivable that in a state drowning in red ink that such a fantasy court palace could win voter's approval. The project was approved by the County Board and for some connected folks there are no hard times like there is for the rest Arizona’s residents.

The new court building’s real need is a hard sell on some breadwinner for a family of five who must pay an extortionate fine for a photo speeding ticket received on an abundantly safe stretch of highway with an unnecessarily low speed limit. Adding to that, that lion’s share of the fine goes to the private contractor rather than the government. The final insult being that the contractor donates hefty campaign contributions to the very politicians that have approved the extortion program.

Are the new courtrooms needed to enable the extraction of more money from Arizona’s population for petty violations?

The politicians under investigation are all screaming that this is some kind of political payback vendetta. Should that be a viable reason not to follow the money trail see just where hardworking taxpayer’s money is going?

Should bribery of public officials be off limits for law enforcement to investigate?

I say let the investigations continue. If it gets too hot for some politicians or judges they should seek employment as Wal-Mart greeters and get off the public’s payroll.

The media is not doing their job of investigating these sweetheart deals. Why complain if the law enforcement community actually takes a peek into the underbelly of government corruption? An investigation into Maricopa County’s corrupt practices is long overdue. If Maricopa County public officials are guilty of corruption, I say, “Take them to the tower!”

Maricopa County Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox Indicted For 36 Felony Crimes

Phoenix, AZ—Maricopa County, Arizona has always been a hotbed for corruption. The legendary land fraud exploits of Ned Warren and later massive savings and loan fraud of Charles Keating could have never happened without the total cooperation of corrupt public officials.

Arizona has long been for sale to the highest bidder. The AZSCAM indictments only snared some low level members of the Legislature because the late Director of Public Safety and former Phoenix police boss, Ralph Milstead tipped of the real legislative power brokers. Law enforcement bosses sans the elected Sheriff must cooperate with the crooked politicians or be unemployed.

As always, the lion’s share of political corruption comes from the Left wing of American politics. The free-spending Liberals throw around the most tax money and that invites the deal makers, lobbyists and criminal underbelly to feed like sharks.

Corruption investigations always go nowhere and local and every level of government wallows in a sea of red ink. The crooked politicians turn their taxpayers into their own personal ATM machines. The only solution they can find is to raise taxes a extort money from working families with photo traffic enforcement revenue schemes.

Arizona’s media is like most American media, deeply rooted in Leftist politics. The large metropolitan areas of Arizona are under a tight Liberal grip. The media protects the political corruption.

Along came a wild Card, Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Joe has his own baggage connected to his ego. Arpaio, stays awake nights dreaming up publicity stunts to endear himself to his voters. He is a master politician who gives the voters what they want. Since Maricopa County is a huge territory his voters are working class Conservatives. Liberals just don’t get elected in countywide races.

Needless to say in Phoenix there is a clash of political culture and ways to deal with things like Illegal Immigration. The Liberals run Phoenix, the Superior Court, the County Board and they control where money is spent. The Left Wing politicians always throw tax money away on unneeded projects that generate huge campaign contributions from government vendors. That’s the only way they can stay in power.

In the thick of this mess is the Wilcox Crime Family. Mary Rose Wilcox and her family have never missed a chance at personal profit and now according to a stunning and breathtaking 36 count indictment Wilcox will have to answer for her actions.

In the meantime the media has come to the defense of Wilcox and another indicted Supervisor, Don Stapley in an unprecedented manner. They are screaming that the indictment is political payback. My question is who cares if it is political payback? If they have committed these felonies why not simply let them hang!

Read the Indictment and tell me why Mary Rose Wilcox should not answer to a jury of her peers for the allegations made?
Wilcox Indictment

I’m always looking For Work In Germany

I had a marvelous time in Germany last month. I enjoy the people, their lifestyle and the wonderful food. I can’t wait to return!

Investigation, film making or covering news is what I love best. Doing that in Germany really rocks.

Getting drafted into the Army was made really sweet when I was sent to Germany and worked as an Army medical corpsman.

I’m looking for any excuse at all to return!

We are Not All Equal In The Eyes Of The TSA

Washington, DC—The Internet posting of the TSA 93 page, airline passenger screening playbook was a real eye opener. Not only have TSA’s screeners made up their own rules, politicians get special treatment!

No American should be searched in the absence of a search warrant signed by a judge or at least probable cause. That was supposed to be a Constitutional guarantee. Without a Constitutional Amendment our cowardly courts have allowed this vile practice. Americans are frisked like criminals to enter a train, plane or government building. That’s wrong and un-American.

The politicians that have allowed this travesty have apparently provided themselves and families freedom from this indignity. Members of Congress, governors and lieutenant governors, the mayor of Washington, D.C., and their immediate families all get special treatment. These people must be required to live under the same conditions as every taxpayer.

No American should get special treatment. If the TSA assault on the Fourth Amendment is acceptable to use against me, than it must be acceptable for our politicians as well. If our politicians don’t like the screening they should abolish the practice.

Let’s demand an end to special treatment for politicians and their families!

Maricopa County Arizona Is At War, With Itself

Phoenix, AZ—Local politicians and judges in this town have always worked, played and engaged in corruption so well together. They have always protected each other but things are different now.

Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and Sheriff Joe Arpaio have taken on the rest of the county government like attack dogs. The lawyers, private investigators and bail bondsmen are in for a Christmas bonanza.

If Sheriff Joe has his way most local politicians and even some judges will be wearing pink underwear and living in his Durango tents.

County Supervisors Mary Rose Wilcox and Don Stapley have been scratching each other’s backs for years. Now they are both facing prison for corruption charges. Perhaps they can rat out some of the others enabling taxpayers to get a break!

At the heart of the matter are two law enforcement officials going after their critics with raids and SWAT teams. Investigations are being opened everyday against judges and politicians who have gotten on the wrong side of Thomas and Arpaio.

The good news here is that it’s no longer business as usual as every contract and every shady deal is getting close examination. These deals are the real reason Arizona is broke. The unneeded light rail project and every kind of government building contract have funded political campaigns like never before.

I’m loving this war, if for no other reason it will slow down the corruption. Perhaps this will help limit the time politicians hold office.

It’s also time to end these lifetime judicial appointments too. Six years as a judge is enough for any lawyer. The judges would be a lot more reasonable if they knew they’d be back practicing law soon.

I only hope this war escalates spreading everywhere cleaning up government.

Sadly, Today’s Joke is Homeland Security And The TSA

Washington, D.C.—In an exercise on total stupidity the TSA made public their entire manual for protective measures on their own public accessible web site!

The rules they operate under should have never been kept secret.

The procedures that reveal failings of the system and the screening details of law enforcement personnel should never have been released.

The cat’s out of the bag, all 93 pages of it. This breach of security is amazing to say the least. I’m sure it’s already in the hands of all the wrong people!

There is good news however and that is the revelation that desspite what the TSA jerks tell you, you can photograph or videotape the TSA people without their permission and use the tape to expose their discourtesy or abuse.

Since the exact rules are posted here you can remind them when they exceed their authority over you, your bags or their content. By reading their rules you will see that they have a solid history of inventing their own rules that are not supported in their own bureaucracy.

This is what happens when you place law enforcement duties in the hands of untrained and unqualified civilians. Marginable folks with marginable skills, training and abilities enable terrorists. At the same time they aggravate the public with invented petty procedures.

I suggest you make a digital copy in case the ones already posted to the internet disappear.
I only wish the TSA would likewise disappear.
Ht Tsa Screening 2 091208

Tiger Woods Has Serious Image Problems.

Orlando, FL—This morning Tiger Woods' mother-in-law left the house in an ambulance. The whole world is wtching this fallen sports icon.

So far Tiger Woods have been linked to at least eleven women (the is growing fast) as his bed mates. It is interesting to see that Tiger Woods rejects African-American Women. Is Woods a racist? Aren’t African-American worthy of a roll in the hay with the legendary golfer?

Perhaps Woods would be more suitable as a pitchman for condoms, stripper bars or sex toys. I suspect that one by one Woods will be rejected by the current manufacturers that liked his former squeaky-clean image.

Woods has enough money at his young age to survive that horrible economy, the destruction of the American dollar and Barack Obama’s Communist revolution. So getting dumped from his current product endorsements won’t hurt him a bit.

Woods never has to touch another golf club either. I suspect in the old days Woods would have been expelled from every golfing organization and match over his personal conduct. We live in different times today and I see a Nobel Peace Prize in Woods’ future.

Want Jobs? Suspend Taxes For Small Businesses!

Washington, DC—Barack Obama has bailed out crooked banks, businesses and campaign contributors. That has done nothing for Americans in need of jobs.

Small businesses are the backbone of America’s jobs. Obama has made it as difficult as possible for small business. Simply suspending quarterly tax payments as long as these businesses don’t lay off workers will save and create jobs. Unfortunately that’s not in Karl Marx’s playbook, Das Kapital.

That kind of a tax break would provide real hope, but Obama and his cronies won’t stand for that because it would interfere with their mission to destroy Capitalism and the American dollar.

Obama’s Communist revolution can only succeed on the backs of miserable needy Americans. We must stop Obama before he does more.

Republican Party Must Become Conservative again or Get Out of The Way

The GOP has lost its way. They have become a tool for Democrats to have a wider chance at winning races by turning general elections into primary elections. If a liberal can’t win a primary election simply wear a Republican label and get a second shot in the General election.

The result is that in Liberal areas of the country the GOP becomes a shell for Democrats or worse for their Leftist power struggles.

The problem is that these infiltrating “party members” are later allowed to pick the GOP’s major candidates for party support. That’s precisely why the GOP has such terrible candidates as John McCain and both Presidents named George Bush.

The GOP must expel these so called moderates or the entire party must be abandoned by Conservatives.

Why must the GOP leadership be under Leftist control? No GOP endorsement should ever go to anyone that does not share the party principals on limited government, low taxes and gun rights.

We have a Communist in the Whitehouse today because Conservatives rejected that pretender, John McCain.

The GOP must be cleansed of the Leftist and Liberals or we will continue to have what has become a one party system.

Can The Three-Episode Mini-Series Revive Television?

Los Angeles, CA—They seem to have tried everything to keep viewers in front of their televisions and have failed.

These days every feature film is made from a uniform 120 page script. This is more to keep movie house audiences rolling over. There are no more, GONE WITH THE WIND style epic productions. The movie houses can’t deal with more than a 120 minute film.

Americans have changed their viewing habits and no longer have the patience for continuing storylines of the weekly series. Television entertainment is all but on life support. I have the answer! What was old should become new!

It’s time to return to the three episode mini-series. There are thousands of events in history and many thousands more that can be fabricated into quality programming for busy Americans. This concept was euthanized by the networks and should be brought back for new life. Reality TV has run its course and can be replaced with something better.

Yes, making a quality mini-series is expensive but there are the reruns and DVD sales to profit from. Hollywood needs to invest money to make money. Taking war, romance, history, biography and crime to a more informative five hour medium is what’s needed today.

Television can compete with the movie theaters now in a big way. You can see quality high definition movies in the comfort of your own home. Aside from watching sporting events and DVDs of movies we’ve already seen our wonderful state of the art big screen TVs are not getting use.

Americans need to demand more from the entertainment providers.

Being An Army Veteran Has Its Perks

Los Angeles—When I got a letter from none other than President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968 I knew all too well why he was contacting me. I was called upon to serve my country and protect freedom and our American way of life.

I was far from thrilled about being drafted since I was being shared by two attractive ladies in an apartment in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood. That draft notice ended a wild and wonderful ride I had been experiencing.

It was off to basic training so I could actually fight and kill Communists that were trying to impose their will on freedom loving people. That was and still is an important and honorable mission.

As luck would have it after light weapons infantry training and a set of orders sending me to the Republic of South Vietnam, I was rerouted to Germany. Sitting out the war as a busy medical corpsman was for me as good as it gets.

The only combat I saw was in the swinging discotechs of the Sachsenhausen district of Frankfurt. That combat was only with the beautiful young German women and they always won. But never let it be said that, I did not fight bravely!

When I traveled by air I was always in uniform because of the generous discounts airlines gave servicemen back then. I had to endure some hateful remarks from the unwashed hippies and other undesirables on the side of the Communists in that conflict. They tried to turn my coat of honor into a coat of shame.

Returning veterans of my day were tolerated at best rather than thanked by an ungrateful nation. Thankfully not all Americans were a part of that pathetic counter-culture.

There are those who have given so much to veterans like me who simply bothered to show up when our country called upon us.

Every year a fine group of men and women generously support a veteran’s holiday celebration that includes a show performed by great entertainers headlined by Jim Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. This great holiday meal and show is only overshadowed by the love and support of the volunteers, contributors and entertainers for this terrific event.

I am always privileged to be joined by a lot of true heroes who sacrificed a lot more than I ever did to protect and defend our freedom. I can’t help but think of the nearly 60,000 lads like myself who were not here to enjoy this treat since they returned from their service to their grieving families in rubber bags.

Why Are We Letting Obama Operate Our Government In Secret?

Washington, DC—Barack Obama ran on a campaign promise for transparency and openness in running our government. Again that was just another of his countless campaign lies.

They held a conference on the Freedom of Information Act and openness of government on Monday. Of course it too was closed to the public and media!

This administration has been operating on secrecy. They are doing our business behind our backs. That alone should make Americans fighting mad. We should be breaking down the doors and using violence against anyone who dares plot against American’s right to know.

Obama has not been held accountable as he has operated his shadow government; not with the Senate approved Cabinet but with that cozy group of out-of-control Socialist Czars that hate the American form of government. They’ve been formulating policy and legislation behind closed doors. They know our lazy Congress won’t even read the crap they are asked to vote for or against. It’s all about party line and party discipline.

The only thing Socialist governments have ever been efficient about is the mass murder of their own citizens.

At first blush I’d say American’s don’t deserve Government by Conspiracy but if we let these bastards get away with it then we deserve exactly what we get.

If our founding fathers were alive today they would have arrested, tried and hanged these scoundrels long before now.

Learn more from an Associated Press article published today.

UCLA Police Are Amazing

Los Angeles, CA—In the Village of Westwood sits the sprawling grand campus of UCLA. The community has their own force of trained, certified and well armed officers.

Although UCLA is generally a quiet place there can be days like when The King of Pop, Michael Jackson’s lifeless body was wheeled in and thousands quickly gathered and overwhelmed the campus. Student demonstrations and of course an occasional violent events challenges these officers. The UCLA cops are up to those chalanges and ready for almost anything.

This police department shares concurrent jurisdiction over the school and surrounding area. They don’t have a 911 call center bureaucracy like the LAPD. When citizens dial 310-825-4191 they get a real person, not a recording and the officers can be dispatched in an instant.

Thankfully, their resources are not spread so thin as the LAPD so they respond much sooner.

I remember an event about a year ago where a disturbed man fired shots on a street corner and these officers took him into custody without any violence. That took guts.

Tonight there was in progress police incident on Gayley Avenue. The campus cops quickly surrounded the building and detained two males for investigation. I have no doubt that these potential suspects will see a fair investigation as the public safety is insured. The efficiency and professionalism of these fine men and women of law enforcement deserve thanks.

40th Anniversary Of The Raid On Chicago’s Black Panthers

Chicago, IL—It was a very cold morning at 04:45 hours on 4 December 1969 when 14 Chicago cops assigned to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office executed a search warrant on a filthy premises at 2337 West Monroe.

The officers were looking for a large stockpile of weapons including three shotguns stolen from the Chicago Police Department, three highly illegal sawed-off shotguns and some 50,000 rounds of ammunition. That intelligence information was provided to police by a BPP associate who was cooperating.

Officers were rightly concerned they were being led into a deadly trap and took all necessary precautions to insure their own safety. This was a period before SWAT teams and police body armor were part of law enforcement resources.

The officers carried their service revolvers. In addition five carried 12 gauge Shotguns. Officer James Davis had a .30 caliber carbine and Officer Joe Gorman carried a .45 Thompson submachine gun also known, as the Chicago Typewriter.

Before the sun would rise, two men, Black Panther Party Chairman, Fred Hampton of Maywood and another BPP official from Peoria, Mark Clark were dead. Four other occupants of the large two-bedroom apartment were wounded

Hampton was a violent thug who was out on a appeal bond following a conviction and prison sentence for robbing an ice cream vendor in Maywood. Today the bail laws have changed and Hampton would have been kept safe behind bars where he belonged.

The Black Panther Party was founded in 1966 in Oakland, CA by several radical Communists including, Eldridge "Soul On Ice" Cleaver and Bobby “Burn Baby Burn” Seal.

There was a Illinois chapter that was violent, heavily armed and dedicated to the murder of policemen and the overthrow of our nation. The Panthers had various alliances with the Students for a Democratic Society and numerous street gangs such as the Black Stone Rangers and Vice Lords.

The common and redundant slogans of The BPP included, “Kill The Pigs” and that infamous Maoist quote, “Political power flows from the barrel of a gun”.

The BPP murders of numerous police officers nationwide along with their constant verbal and written terrorist threats made it abundantly clear that the BPP was at war with America.

The defense minister of the BPP was current U.S. Congressman, Bobby Rush. It was several months before the December raid that Rush and two other BBP members were arrested after a wild shootout that left six wounded in Robbins, IL. The future (and present) Congressman was found to be carrying a loaded .45 ACP semi-automatic pistol in a shoulder holster when arrested.

In the raid's aftermath police seized 19 Panther weapons that included an Ithaca 12 guage shotgun, marked, “Property of the Chicago Police Dept.” reported stolen earlier from a police vehicle and a sawed off shotgun banned by federal and state law. Also included, were several of what they describe today as “assault weapons”.

The radical element came out in full support defending the dead and wound panthers. Police arrested all seven BPP survivors on various charges including Armed Violence and various weapons charges.

The Cook County Coroner conducted post-mortem examination on Hampton and Clark. Later charges would surface along with a mistaken toxicology report that indicated Hampton had ingested sleeping pills and was asleep at the time of death. That was later thoroughly debunked as BPP race-baiting propaganda.

Aside from a Blue Ribbon Coroner’s investigation, a Chicago Police Internal Investigation there were no less than five unofficial parallel investigations groups including Renault Robinson and Howard Saffold’s Afro-American Patrolman’s Association.

There were two additional official investigations. One was the Federal Grand Jury investigation looking into possible civil rights violations against the BPP members. They declined to charge officers suggesting the 14 police officers were victimized by a political climate of “police persecution”. The Grand Jury also criticized the propaganda and fundraising done by the radicals to celebrate the heroic martyrdom of Hampton and Clark.

The next investigation was conducted by a private lawyer, Barnabas F. Sears who was appointed as a special prosecutor by Presiding Cook County Circuit Court Criminal Judge, Joseph A. Power. Sears was able to indict the 14 policemen along with the sitting States Attorney, Edward V. Hanrahan and Lt. John Meade for a multitude of offenses including Obstruction of Justice and Official misconduct. Mead was a lawyer as well as a Chicago cop.

The Panther related litigation lasted for decades. All criminal charges against the surviving BPP members and law enforcement officials were dropped in a bizarre simultaneous ending. Apparently the surviving Panthers, cops and prosecutors entered into an obvious quid pro-quo agreement.